terminally

American  

[tur-muh-nl-ee] / ˈtɜr mə nl i /

adverb

1. in a way that leads or is expected to lead shortly to death; fatally or lethally.

   We offer care and support for terminally ill people and their families through home nursing.

2. Informal. in a way that is beyond hope or rescue.

   I skipped her much-hyped interview with the terminally dull host of that new talk show.

3. at the end.

   In the remark “Pretty hot today, eh?” the terminally positioned tag “eh?” invites agreement.

4. Botany. at the end of a branch or stem.

   The plant has flower clusters 10–20 mm in diameter, which are located terminally.

5. Biology. at the conclusion of the process of modification from a stem cell.

   The cells terminally differentiate as they migrate from the basal layer of the epidermis to the surface.

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Other Word Forms

• nonterminally adverb
• subterminally adverb

Etymology

Origin of terminally

terminal ( def. ) + -ly

Example Sentences

Several of the people who were listed as terminally ill beneficiaries for the claims allegedly had common addresses.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 2, 2026

The defendants billed Medicare for reimbursement payments for hospice care for patients over several years, federal officials said, but many of those patients were not terminally ill.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 2, 2026

In the Westminster bill, a terminally ill person is defined as someone who has less than six months to live.

From BBC • Mar. 17, 2026

For many listeners at the time, these bands were terminally uncool.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 5, 2026

“Make sure you’re honest about his condition. It’s a tough situation. We don’t want to trick anyone into falling in love with a terminally ill dog. We have to be honest. Okay?”

From "The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl" by Stacy McAnulty